Vitamin B12 Supplement Exerts a Beneficial Effect on the Seminiferous Epithelium of Cimetidine-Treated Rats

Autor:	Breno Henrique Caneguim, Paulo Sérgio Cerri, Estela Sasso-Cerri, Sandra Maria Miraglia, Flávia L. Beltrame
Rok vydání:	2010
Předmět:	medicine.medical_specialty Histology Biology digestive system diseases Epithelium Endocrinology medicine.anatomical_structure Internal medicine medicine Secretion Vitamin B12 absorption Vitamin B12 Anatomy Cimetidine Spermatogenesis medicine.drug
Zdroj:	Cells Tissues Organs. 193:184-194
ISSN:	1422-6421 1422-6405
Popis:	Treatment of gastric ulcer with cimetidine reduces acid secretion and interferes in the vitamin B12 absorption. Regarding the harmful effect of cimetidine on the seminiferous tubules, the aim of the present study was to verify if prolonged treatment with cimetidine causes vitamin B12 deficiency and whether the testicular damages are attenuated by vitamin B12 supplementation. Adult male rats received, for 50 days, cimetidine (CMTG), cimetidine and vitamin B12 (CMT/B12G), vitamin B12 (B12G) and saline solution (CG). Vitamin B12 and homocysteine plasma levels were evaluated and the testes were embedded in glycol methacrylate for the morphometric analyses of total, epithelial and luminal areas of the seminiferous tubules, number of Sertoli cells and frequencies of tubules according to stages and containing Sertoli and germ cells in the lumen. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl-transferase mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) method and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) immunohistochemistry were carried out. CMTG showed TUNEL-positive Sertoli cells and significant reductions in the epithelial and total tubular areas, number of Sertoli cells and frequency of tubules VII-VIII. In the CMT/B12G, the number of Sertoli cells and the epithelial and total tubular areas were similar to CG. The number of Sertoli cells (in B12G) and the frequency of tubules at stages VII-VIII (in B12G and CMT/B12G) increased significantly; PCNA-positive Sertoli cells were found in these groups. Although cimetidine was not able to induce vitamin B12 deficiency, this drug causes tubular atrophy due to Sertoli cell damage and loss of germ cells. However, vitamin B12 supplement is able to stimulate spermatogenesis and restore the number of Sertoli cells, softening the harmful effect of cimetidine on spermatogenesis.
Databáze:	OpenAIRE
Externí odkaz:	https://explore.openaire.eu/search/publication?articleId=doi_________::3e9d56c506347d2ff09806273d33c10a https://doi.org/10.1159/000319371 Zobrazit plný text záznamu